Vulcanization



April 10, 1928.

aker

Affo

. W. A. BRUBAKER Will/am ABM/b I /2 van or MM/ Patented Apr. 10, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

Application filed February 28, 1921'. Serial No. 171,440.

My invention relates to vulcanization, and particularly to vulcanizing automobile tires under internal fluid pressure, and-the principal object of my invention is to provide a new and improved apparatus for the vulcanizing of automobile tires in this manner.

in the drawings accompanying this specification and forming a part of this applica tion I have shown, for purposes of illus- M tration, one form which my invention may assume, and in these drawings the single figure is a cross section through the embodiment of my invention disclosed herein.

The embodiment of my invention dis- 115 closed herein comprises a mold having a pair of mold side plates 11, and a pair of bead rings 12 cooperating with the side plates 11 to complete the mold cavity 13 except for a. gap in the base of the'cavity 30 13 between the spaced opposed faces 14 of the bead rings 12. i

Disposed within the mold cavity 13 is the tire 15 to be vulcanized, and within this tire 15 is a flexible flap 16 formed of rubberiaed fabric, or other suitable material, extending below the beads 17 of the tire 15 into sition overlapping the faces 14 of the ad rings 12, and provided at itsedges wlth annular ribs 18 seating within annular re- .cesses 19 formed in the faces 14 of the bead rings 12 and effective to accurately position the flap 16 relative'to the mold and the tire.

Positioned between the ends of the fla 16 is a resilient bull ring 20 formed of .so

rubber of preferably the condition of the usual tire tread, formed at its base wlth oblique faces 21 cooperating with the corresponding oblique faces 22 of the bead rln s 12 to register the bull ring 20 with the mo (1 10, provided with a pro e cting ortion' 23 extendin within the tire 15 and aving tapered ofi edges'24 rising along the sides of the flap 16 and terminating somewhat above 15 the beads 17 of the the 15, and provided with a duct 25 secured in position in the bull ring 20 by means of enlargements 26 and extendin through the bull ring 20 to provide for t e insertion of fluid into. the

so interior of the flap 16.

The head rings 12 are recessed at 27 to provide for the passa e of the duct 25 therethrough, and are hel together by means of a plurality of bolts 28,

as It will be understood that in operation the flap 16 is inserted within the tire 15, the v bull ring 20 is inserted within the flap 16, the tire 15 and flap 16 and bull ring 20 are mounted between the two bead rin 12, the two beads 12 are secured together b y means of the bolts 28, the assembled unit is placed between the mold side plates 11, the mold side plates 11 are secured together in any suitable manner, as by the ram oftheusual heater pot, fluid is forced through the duct 25 into the interior of the flap 16 to expand the tire 15 into the mold 11, and the tire is cured while so expanded.

From the above description it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that I have provided new and improved vulcanizing means particularly adapted for curing tires under internal fluid pressure, and accordingly that the embodiment of my invention herein disclosed accomplishes at least the principal object of my invention.

At the same time it also will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the embodiment of my invention herein shown and de-' scribed may be variously changed and modified without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing the advantages thereof, and it therefore will ,be understood that the disclosure herein is illustrativeonly, I

and that my invention is not limited thereto.

I claim: I r

1. A tire vulcanizing mold comprising: a pair ofmold sides spaced from each other at the base of the tire cavity to provide spaced opposed faces one on one of said sides and the other on the other of said sides, but contoured to define otherwise at least the base portion of said cavity; a flexible flap adapted to be disposed within a tire within said mold with its edges overlapping said faces; and a com ressible bull ring interposed between said aces effective to seal said edges tightly to itself.

2. A tire vulcanizing mold comprising: a pair of mold sides spaced from each other at the base of the tire cavity to provide spaced 0 posed faces one on one of said sides an the other on' the other' of said sides, but contoured to define otherwise at least the base portion of said cavity, a flexible flap adapted to be disposed within a v tire within said mold with its ed es overlapping said faces; and asoft-ru ber bull ring inter osed between said faces effective to seal said edges tightly to itself.

p 3. A tire vulcanizing mold comprising: a pair of mold sides spaced from each other at the base of the tire cavity to provide spaced opposed faces one. on one of said sides and the other on the other of said sides, but contoured to define otherwise-at least the base. portion of said cavity; a flexible flap adapted to be disposed wit in a tire within said mold with its edges overlapping said faces; and a bull ring interposed between said faces effective to seal said edges tightly to itself, and provided with annular ta ering off extensions extending up the sidhs of said flap.

4. A tire vulcanizing mold comprising:

' a pair of mold sides. spaced from each other at the base of the tire cavity to provide spaced opposed faces one on one of said sldes andthe other on the other of said sides, but contoured to define otherwise at least the'base portion of said cavity;.a flexible flap adapted to be disposed within a tire within said mold with its edges overlapping a spaced opposed faces one on one of said sides and the other on the other of said sides,

' but contoured to define otherwise at least theibase, portion of said cavity; a flexible flap adapted to be disposed. within a tire within said mold with its edges overlapping said faces; and a soft-rubber bull ring interposed between said faces efiective to seal said edges tightly to itself, and provided with annular tapering off extensions extending up the sides of sa1d flap.

.6. tire vulcanizing mold comprising: a pair ofmold sides spaced from each other at the base of the tire cavity to provide.

spaced opposed faces one on one of said 'sides and the other on the other of said sides, but contoured to define otherwise at least the base portion of said cavity; a flexible flap adapted to be disposed within a tire within said mold with its ed es overlapping said faces; a compressible ull ring interposed between said faces effective to.

seal said edges tightly to itself; and a duct carried by sa1d bull ring passin through said bull rlng to provide means or the insertion of fluid within said flap.

7 A tire vulcanizing mold comprising: a

' pair of mold sides spaced from each otherat the base of the tire cavity to provide 5 aced opposed faces one on one of said sides and the other on the other of said sides, but contoured to define otherwise at least the base portion of said cavity; a flexible flap adapted to be disposed within a provide tire within said mold with its ed es over-' lapping said faces; a soft-rubber ul l ring interposed between said' faces effective to seal said edges tightly to itself; and a duct carried by saidbull ring passin through said bull rin 'to provide means or the insertion of fluid within said flap.

8. A tire vulcanizing mold comprising: a

pair of mold sides spaced from eachother. at

the base of the tire cavity to provide spaced 'opposed faces-one on one of said sides and the other. on the other of said sides, but non- .toured to define otherwise at least the base portion of said cavity, andteach provided with an annular. seat; a flexible flap adapted to be disposed within a tire within said'mold with its edges overlapping said faces; and a bull ring interposedbetweensaid faces effective to seal said edges tightly to itself, provided with annular tapering ofi extensions extending up the sides of said flap, and formed to cooperate with said seats to register said bull ring with said sides.

9. A tire vulcanizing mold comprising: a pair of mold sides spaced from each other at the base of the tire cavity to provide spaced opposed faces one on one of said sides and the other on the other of. said sides, but contoured to -define otherwise at least the base portion of said cavity, and each provided with an annular seat; a fiexibleflap adapted to be disposed within a tire withinsaid. mold with its edgesoverlapping said faces; a bull ring interposed between said faces effective to seal said edges tightly to itself, provided with annular tapering off extensions extending up the sides of said flap, and formed to cooperate with said seats to register said bull rm and a duct carried by said bull ring passing through said bull ring to provide means for the insertion of fluid within said flap.

10. A tire vvnlcanizing mold comprising: a pair of mold sides spaced from each other at the base of the tire cavity to provide spaced opposed faces one on one of said sides and the other on the other ofsaid sides and each provided with an annular groove, but contoured to define otherwiseat least the base portion of said cavity; a flexible flap with saidsides;

ada ted'to be'disposed within a tirewithin sai mold with its edges overlappin said faces and provided with annular ri s cooperating with said grooves to osition said flap; and a bull ring interposed etween said faces effective to seal said edges tightly to itself.

11. A tire vulcanizin mold comprising: a pair of moldside la es forming at least the sides of the mold cavity; a pair of head rings cooperating with said side plates, spaced from each other at the base of the t re cavity to provide spaced opposed faces one on one of said sides and the other on the other of said sides and each provided with an annular groove, but contoured to define otherwise the base portion of said cavity; a flexible flap adapted to be disposed. within a tire within said mold with its edges overlapping said faces, and provided with annular ribs cooperating with said grooves to position said flap; and a bull ring interposed between said faces effective to seal said edges tightly to itself.

12. A tire vulcanizing mold comprising: a pair of mold sides spaced from each other at the base of the tire cavity to provide spaced opposed faces one on one of said sides and the other on the other of said sides and each provided with an annular groove, but contoured to define otherwise at least the base portion of said cavity, and each provided with an annular seat; a flexible flap adapted to be disposed within a tire within said mold with its edges overlapping said faces and provided with annular ribs coo crating with said grooves to position said ap; and a bullring interposed between said faces efl'ective to seal said edges tightly to itself,

and formed to cooperate with saidseats to '25 register said bull ring with said sides.

13. A tire vulcanizing mold comprising: a pair of mold side plates forming at least the side of the mold cavity; a pair of head rings cooperating with said side plates, spaced from each other at the base of the tire cavity to provide spaced opposed faces one on one of said sides and the other on the other of said sides and each provided with an annular groove, and with an annular seat, but contoured to define otherwise the base portion of said cavity; a flexible flap adapted to be disposed within a tire within said mold with its edges overlapping said faces, and provided with annular ribs cooperatin with said grooves to position said flap; an a bull ring interposed between saidfaces effective to seal said edges tightly to itself, and formed to cooperate with said seats to .register said bull ring with said bead rings.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature. 4

WM. A. BRUBAKER. 

